Throughout history, there have been many Wonder Women, ranging from the ones in comic books and movies to ones who’ve truly changed the world. But Good Counsel’s Wonder Women include those who work in the Media Center, specifically Ms. Davis and Ms. Boyle, who are true saviors when it comes to research papers. I spoke to the amazing Ms. Davis, the Library Manager, and asked her some questions regarding the process of writing, how to help yourself, and finding help from the wonderful Media Center staff.

Q: What are the various ways that you help students with their papers?

A: We help students with all the different writing process steps. We assist students with brainstorming, research, editing, and proofreading MLA formatting and citations.

Q: Do you help students in the same way, or is each way of helping unique?

A: Each student is unique, and therefore each time we help with the writing or research process, we first have to assess how best to help the individual’s needs.

Q: What materials do you use to help these students?

A: I often refer to the Library website (there are so many different resources available on our website!) and to the Noodletools Express site and the OWL Purdue site for MLA citations.

Q: What are the correct times for students to come and seek help from the library staff?

A: During Library hours – 8:00 AM to 3:45 PM most days.

Q: If busy, how can students find help on their own? Any tips for people writing their papers?

A: If we’re busy, I would recommend visiting the library website – there are many different resources on our website that can help with writing and research! Regarding tips, I would probably recommend the following: – Outline your ideas (even if it’s basic bullet points!) – you can’t write a good paper if you don’t know what you’re trying to say! Draft, draft, draft – I often see students trying to make a perfect first draft to turn in. Get your ideas out first, even if they don’t sound “pretty.” Then, give yourself time to revisit, edit, and create several drafts. Remember: no one is perfect, and neither is anyone’s writing!

Q: How do students reach out to you and the rest of the library staff for help?

A: The best way to reach out to me is through email. If you’d like to meet in person, send an email with the times you’re available, any helpful rubrics or guidelines for the assignment, when the paper is due, what sort of help you’re looking for, and we can figure out a time that will work. Regarding technology, I also prefer students share their papers through Google Docs so I can comment and suggest as necessary.

Help comes in many ways. If you need extra help or have questions that weren’t answered here, feel free to contact Ms. Davis or Ms. Boyle! Now, when you need assistance writing papers, you know where to go to access this invaluable resource. Happy writing!